William James, the renown philosopher and the father of psychology once said” the greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude”. All things being equal, the quote implies how the way you think, your beliefs and perceptions determines you feelings and often what happens to you. When you change your thinking, you change the quality of life instantly.
Though applying it in a world of inexorable distraction takes self-awareness and self-discipline to say the least. Yet if you reflect, it might just be an effective way to manage an increasing global workplace issue called “job burnout”. In simple terms, burnout is a non-specific work type distress people experience with symptoms including mental & physical exhaustion, loss of identity and depression. The cause thought to be unrealistic expectations, isolation and workplace dysfunction just to name a few.
Regardless of cause, there is no clear example than the late Fiat Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne. Mr. Machionne used to begin his day with espressos and cigarettes and was one of the greatest turnaround leaders in the modern business era. He pulled both brands from the brink of bankruptcy to become the seventh largest automobile manufacturer in the world. Tenacious, well respected and results driven, last year he passed away at age 66 leaving behind a grieving family and a void in the automobile giant. Beside the human cost, the share price tumbled precipitously after his passing falling more than 16 percent as investors digested an unexpected 11 percent fall in adjusted operating profit, well below market forecasts according to Reuters.
But Mr. Machionne was not the only one with other great leaders such as Hunter Harrison of CSX Corp departing with only months at the helm at age 73. The point is these high profile examples exemplify how burnout cuts across all business sectors imposing financial, operational, compliance, legal and insurance including security and regulation risk. It also impacts not only leaders but the entire organization’s productivity with absenteeism, dissatisfaction and job hopping.
It hits the bottom line in loss productivity according to CNBC accounting up to 125-190 billion on average in health costs just in the US alone each year attributing to type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and even premature death. Yet there has been so much written about the associated depression, anxiety underpinning burnout and how to deal with it. But the question is why is it still rising despite the myriad campaigns advocating a healthier balance between our professional and personal life?
It is true that heavy workloads and demands take their toll on business leaders and morale of the company. Given around 75% of people do not like their jobs in the US, there is always a deeper consideration underpinning burnout worth contemplating. Few if anyone go to work for the company’s sake. Yet, human behavior specialists recognize that everyone has their own unique personal set of values which inspires, gives purpose and meaning to one’s life. They are distinct from idealism of say integrity, trust or chivalry.
Rather, these factors makes us look forward to doing something in the morning when we go to bed at night giving us energy, vision and self-anticipation. When the beholder become conscious of it, they galvanize others into action around them with unfettered enthusiasm. The ancient Greeks had another name for purpose calling it the “telos”, or end in mind and was often used by philosophers including Aristotle. Others including Victor Frankl, the Austrian neurologist, psychologist, holocaust survivor and founder of “logo therapy” referred it as the chief aim giving one meaning and vision. In his case, it was the difference between surviving and ultimately death in harrowing conditions in the infamous German extermination camps.
This said, defining individual purpose is a process in determining what is most important to you. It is exemplified by what you do, talk about spontaneously, spend your money on, read, and think without any reminder leaving you with greater energy at the end of the day than when it begins. Having a clear purpose which inspires you makes the difference between an extraordinary or ordinary life. A value might be your health, raising a beautiful family, building a career or a great business which serves vast numbers of people. Either way, it is your own unique value proposition.
In addition, the pioneering endocrinologist Hans Selye postulated stress should not be avoided and is a natural response in the human endeavor to move forward and grow. On an enterprise level, it is a motivating force which can disrupt, create and achieve the overall strategic objectives a company seeks when directed constructively. However, Selye also made a clear distinction between stress and distress with the latter over stimulating the fight or flight response, adreno-corticosteroids production raising blood pressure, glucose and other key hormone factors in the body. If prolonged, this physiological reaction has a destructive impact on people’s mental and physical health in the workplace from the top down
Nonetheless, mitigating burnout might include linking individual goals with the company’s vision, is crucial in individual health and the organization as a whole. The result is engagement, connection and cohesion with each other. Once distilled in the organization’s culture, you have a highly effective group working in synergy for a common objective. It is also true that people who are clear on purpose are more engaged in their work, enjoy wealth, health and personal satisfaction. If they set realistic goals with an action plan, they are willing to embrace pain & pleasure, support & challenge in their life towards their aspirations. You only have to look at Sir Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet who “tap dances to work each day”. It is the idea of doing what you love and loving what you do.
Conversely, when people do things incongruent with their true purpose, and disconnected from the company’s vision they are less engaged, loose identity, become anxious, depressed or even angry with themselves. They are at essentially at risk in mind and body and vulnerable to all the stressors and burnout. Instilling a work life balance is one strategy essential in managing burnout in general. Yet digging deeper than standard recruitment questions in the recruitment process of “why do you want to work here” or “what are your strengths and weaknesses” do not go far enough in gauging core competencies or resilience for the responsibilities and challenges in the potential role.
Additional questions could also include how do you see your job description, our company and team in assisting you reach your greatest potential, personal and professional aspirations? In saying this, if their answers are focused on the benefits of the position on offer rather than clarity of purpose you will not have the right candidate no matter how good they look on paper. Also why not probe as to what the potential candidate values most and look for synergies between theirs’s and the organization.
Walking on the beach, exercise and relaxation are great strategies in managing workplace burnout. But developing deeper into the selection process to align the company and individual with the right questions goes a long way to mitigating its risk to individual, company health and the impact on all its stakeholders.